Poets use their art to teach kids, help rescue animals

Students at Howard Middle School are stepping into another world, one that involves poetry, their favorite pets and a chance to run with their imagination.

By Marian RizzoCorrespondent

Students at Howard Middle School are stepping into another world, one that involves poetry, their favorite pets and a chance to run with their imagination.

The youths are writing story poems about cats and dogs for a contest sponsored by Have a Heart for Companion Animals, a local animal rescue agency. To encourage them in the project, Fellowship of Christian Poets founder John Marinelli recently visited the school and read to students from his book, "Rhyme Time."

The contest is voluntary. Students who participate will work on their poems at home, Marinelli said. They also are expected to write a brief essay telling what inspired them. Submissions will be evaluated during Christmas break, and prizes will be awarded: $50 for first place, $25 for second place and $15 for third place. Winning poems will be published in the Pet Gazette quarterly newsletter, Marinelli said.

"Poetry causes them to think about capturing a moment in a poetic form." he said. "Developing a skill for poetry gives them a better handle of expressing themselves in a concise, focused way. Poetry has hidden meanings. It's like a word picture, so when they write a poem, especially a story poem, they're painting a story in words."

Marinelli, a retired marketing executive, founded the Fellowship of Christian Poets in 1998. He said he and his wife, Marilyn, are both ordained ministers associated with Faith Christian Fellowship, a full gospel ministry based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Have a Heart for Companion Animals was founded by Marilyn Marinelli about five years ago.

The top student in the poetry competition will be invited to read the winning poem at the Johnny Mello show, a Have A Heart for Companion Animals fundraiser in February.

Howard Middle School was chosen for the pilot project after a teacher inquired about student volunteer opportunities with the animal rescue agency. Robert Hensel, principal of the school, said participating students will earn credits through their language arts program. About 15 teachers will be guiding them, Hensel said.

"The teachers like it," he said. "It's a good idea to promote creative writing and for the kids to earn some prize money. Their poems are going into a book about why animals are our friends. That's something that all kids can connect to, whether they have a pet or not."

Hensel also saw this as a way to strengthen the students in their other academic pursuits.

"It does connect with their writing abilities because they have to structure their writing," he said. "In poems, you structure your writing and play with tone and diction. That way, it's more creative."

John Marinelli said he would like to extend the challenge to other schools, so more young people can learn to appreciate poetry.

The Fellowship of Christian Poets, founded in 1998 in Ocala, currently has 1,800 members worldwide. James Tate, a published writer whose poetry has appeared in The Saturday Evening Post and other national publications, is a longtime member. Now 84 and living in Tulsa, Tate said he is glad the group is promoting poetry among youth.

"I think that poetry has an economy of words with significant meaning, and our young people should become more familiar with it," Tate said. "It has seemed to have slipped from activities with the advent of other things that demand their time. I believe there's a wealth of knowledge in good poetry."

For information about the Fellowship of Christian Poets or to view members' poetry, visit www.christianpoets.com. For information about Have a Heart for Companion Animals, visit www.haveaheart.us.